Science Textbook Support?

School begins next week and I’m busily preparing my classroom for my soon to arrive students. Tuesday I attended training provided by the textbook company on our newly adopted science program. I was putting away the teacher materials we received and realized what a load of stuff it was (various workbook pages, software, etc.). Realize all of this is for the teacher … the textbooks for students are not included here. The reading program we have has easily 3 times this much support material and EACH TEACHER gets this stuff. Our social studies program is a bit more than is pictured here. 1st to 5th grade math is at least this much. This is what adds to the extreme cost of these programs and helps keep the tree population in check.

And all I really want is an easily accessible and modifiable disc or website so I can carry all of it on a hard drive and use it where ever I happen to be. I promise not to violate their copyright and never to use the materials accept in legally acceptable ways in for educational purposes.

I piloted in 1st grade last year for the two selected companiesin science. I “liked” them both, over the NOT DOING SCIENCE that pervades my school culture, thinking this might inspire actually DOING SCIENCE. My peers quickly informed me otherwise. A downer. But even I know a stack like that says….run…. especially to teacher that may in fact be intimidated to teach the subject. I just moved and unloaded my room and now have three bookshelves for teacher materials that used to hold children’s libraries.

It’s amazing, in that the texts for 1st graders are significantly weighty too. If they weigh 30 pounds or under as students, as my own kids did in 1st, then the books are a fifth or in some cases a fourth of their body weight. I find that amazing so I guess using the same theory they are attempting to give you that kind of figure to lug around.

But I really came here to say, I enjoy reading and have a great year.
sarah

It does seem like a lot of materials, just as the textbook is a lot of text, most which remains unread. Science has been neglected even more of late because in most states it hasn’t been tested. Now schools are buying science textbooks again, but is this the best way to learn science?
There are lots of valuable tools to make science engaging and interactive. I think that younger children would be better off with schools investing in tools that make science interesting and that enhance learning.

I agree with Peter! Between gizmos (explorelearning.com), Discovery Streaming Science, Discovery Streaming videos, AIMS materials, and great tools who needs a book? By the time a science book is written and published the material is outdated. We need to let kids investigate and explore science. Grow plants, study insects under microscopes, have star parties with telescopes, make inventions, etc. etc. etc. Students will love it!